Safety systems are often employed with power equipment such as table saws, miter saws, band saws, jointers, shapers, circular saws and other woodworking machinery, to minimize the risk of injury when using the equipment. Probably the most common safety feature is a guard that physically blocks an operator from making contact with dangerous components of machinery, such as belts, shafts or blades. In many cases, guards effectively reduce the risk of injury, however, there are many instances where the nature of the operations to be performed precludes using a guard that completely blocks access to hazardous machine parts.
The present invention discloses a safety system, and power equipment incorporating a safety system, that includes a spring-biased brake mechanism adapted to engage the blade or other cutting tool to protect the user against serious injury if a dangerous, or triggering, condition, such as contact between the user's body and the blade or other cutting tool, occurs. The brake mechanism includes a pawl that is biased to engage and quickly stop the blade or other cutting tool.